Reworking of die-rolled articles



Aug 15, 1933. P. L. COYLE REWORKING 0F DIE ROLLED ARTICLES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 23, 1929 INVENTOR M f JUL- @W, M {M Aug. 15,1933. P. 1.. COYLE REWORKING OF DIE ROLLED ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Dec. 25, 1929 I Patented Aug. 15, 1933 REWORKING OF DIE-ROLLEDARTICLES Paul L. Coyle, Coraopolis, Pa., assignor to Republic SteelCorporation, Youngstown, Ohio, a Corporation of New Jersey ApplicationDecember 23, 1929 Serial No. 415,959

16 Claims.

My invention relates to the reworking of dierolled articles, andparticularly to a forging treatment to which die-rolled blanks aresubjected.

According to previous methods of forging dierolled blanks, as explainedin the patent to Witherow No. 1,572,343, the integral flash formed onthe blanks during the rolling process is removed from the blank, andfrequently the flash zone is ground smooth to avoid laps, before theperformance of any forging operations thereupon. The blank is thensubjected to forging between dies which give the blank the proper shapeand dimensions. During this operation, the excess metal which it isnecessary to provide in the blank to insure that the forging dies areproperly filled, is forced into the space between the dies and forms asecond flash. After the forging operation is completed, it is necessaryto remove this second flash by duplicating the trimming and grindingoperation to which the rolled blank was first subjected. Thisduplication of the flash trimming and grinding increases the cost of theforged articles and requires a greater length of time for theirproduction.

In order to obviate the disadvantages characterizing the previousmethod, I have invented a novel method of forging die-rolled blanks withthe flash thereon. I take the blanks as they come from the shears whichcut the string of blanks into lengths and then put them through thesteps of a novel forging process without removing the flash. The blanksare first given an edging or are forged on their edges to which theflash adheres. The purpose of the edging is to give the blank thedesired longitudinal camber.

The edging is accomplished by placing the blanks edgewise in dies formedto receive them and having grooves for engaging the flash and giving theblank the required edging blows. The grooves have a depth slightly lessthan the width of the flash so that the edging blow, which is first blowof the forging operation, is applied partly to the flash. The blank isthus given the desired longitudinal camber without caving in theunsupported flanges of the forging blank.

After edging, the portions of the blank which require forging are placedwithin a suitably formed forging die and the forging operation iscompleted. The forging and edging dies may be integral. As the forgingcontinues additional flash is formed as previously explained, but theforging dies are so designed that this additional flash lies in the sameplane as the original flash formed during the die rolling. The result offorging-treatment on the flash, therefore, is to increase its width,with the formation of a slight amount of flash at portions of the blankwhere no flash formerly appeared, for example, at the end of the blankwhere adjacent sections are sheared. After forging, the flash is trimmedin one operation and the duplication of the trimming step is avoidedwith the result that production is speeded up and costs cut down.

The rolling flash is distinctly advantageous in the forging processsince it opposes the extrusion of forging flash and thereby insuresthat-the latter is reduced to a minimum and that the forging dies areproperly filled.

For a complete explanation of my invention, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings in connection with the following description. Inthe drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan or edge view of a forging blank from which a frontaxle for a motor car is to be formed;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the blank shown in Figure 1 as it comesfrom the shears after being formed in die rolls;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2, showing the condition of theblank after it has been subjected to the edging for producing thedesired. longitudinal camber;

Figure 4 is another view similar to Figure 2 except that it shows thecondition of the blank after the forging has been completed and theblank is ready to have the flash removed therefrom;

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the dies employed in the edging andforging of the blank;

Figure 6, is a side elevation of the forging dies, and

Figure 7 is a transverse section through the dies, along the lineVII-VII of Figure 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and specially to Figures 1 and 2,there is illustrated a forging blank 10 for the production of a frontaxle for motor cars. The blank 10 is produced by known die-rollingprocesses which result in the formation of integral flash 11 at theedges of the blank. According to known methods, the blanks 10 areproduced in strings. The blanks are sheared from the string as indicatedat 12 and are then ready for the forging treatment.

The forging treatment is administered by placing the blank betweenforging dies ,15 and 16 as shown in Figures 6 and '7. Figure 5 shows aplan view of the lower die 16. Edging impres- I ing impressions.

sions 17 and 18 are provided at one side of the dies for producing aslight angularity in the ends of the blank which gives the desiredlongitudinal camber to the finished article. The edging impressions havegrooves 19 and 20 which receive the flash which is formed on the blankduring the rolling. These grooves have a depth approximating the widthof the flash so that the first forging blow, which effects the edging,is received partly by the flash, and is not applied directly to theflanges of the blank which, being unsupported, would be caved in unlessthe edging blow were partly taken up by the flash. The edge forging ofthe blanks may thus be effected without materially deforming the flash,or causing laps.

In addition to the edging impressions 17 and 18, the forging dies 15 and16 are provided with finishing impressions 21 and 22.

After edging the blank has the appearance of that illustrated in Figure3. The flash 11 is undeformed as are all portions of the blank with theexception that a slight angularity has been imparted to the end portionsthereof. When the blank has been placed in the impression 21 and giventhe finishing blows, there results a blank shown in Figure 4. The flash11 is increased in width and a new flash area 23 is formed adjacent theend of the blank.

During the forging, of course, they shape and dimensions of the variousportions of the blank are reduced to the proper requirements. The flashformed during the forging is actually but an extension of thatoriginally formed during the rolling process except at the end of theblank where the new flash area 23 appears. In both cases the final flashlies in the same plane as that occupied by the original flash withrespect to the section of the rolled blank. The rolling flash tends tooppose the growth of the forging flash and thus makes for properlyfilling the forg- The impressions 21 and 22 are provided with flashgrooves 24 which permit the original flash to spread during the forgingtreatment to accommodate the excess metal forced out of the dies by theforging. The forging operation is carried out by the use of an automaticforging hammer such as those in common use, the dies 15 and 16 beingsecured, respectively, to the moving and stationary portions thereof.

After the completion of the forging operation, the blanks are placed intrimming dies and all flash simultaneously removed therefrom. I thuseliminate the duplicate flash trimming operations of the prior art andproduce a finished article in less time and with less labor than waspossible heretofore.

Another advantage of forging the blanks before removing the flashtherefrom lies in the fact that the flash adhering to the blanks makesit easier to position the blanks properly in the dies since the flashserves as a guide as it engages the dies and thus definitely alines theblank with the forging impression.

Although I have described the invention as applied to the production offront axles for motor cars, it is obvious that the same method may beapplied to forged articles of other types and dimensions. The specificdetails of the method shown and described, therefore, are not intendedas a lim'itationupon the invention since the latter may be practiced inother forms. Any changes in the method or apparatus that fall within thescope of the appended claims may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention.

steps including die-rolling a forging blank with I claim:

1. In a method of forging metalshapes, the steps including providing aforging blank having flash, edge-forging the blank to give the desiredcamber thereto, forging the blank to the required shape and size andremoving the original flash and that formed by the forgingsimultaneously. 2

2. Ina method of making metal shapes, the

flash, edge-forging the blank to give it the desired camberjforging itto shape and size, thereby producing additional flash co-planar with theoriginal flash, and removing all said flash simultaneously.

3. In a method of forging metal shapes, the steps including providing adie-rolled forging blank having flash, forging the blank to the requiredshape and size and removing the original flash and that formed by theforging simultane- 9 ously.

4. In a'method of making metal shapes, the steps including die-rolling aforging blank with flash, forging it to shape and size, therebyproducing additional flash co-planar with the original flash, andremoving all said flash simultaneously.

5. In a method of making metal articles, the steps including providing adie-rolled blank having flash, forging the blank with the flash thereon,whereby additional flash is formed in the plane of the original flashand simultaneously removing all of said flash.

6. In a method of making metal articles, the steps including providing adie-rolled blank having flash and forging the blank with the flashthereon.

'7. In a method of forging metal articles, the steps including forming aforging blank having flash on its edges and forging said blank on itsedges to give it the desired camber without deforming said flash.

8. In a method of making metal articles, the steps including die-rollinga blank with flash on its edges, and forging said edges while preservingthe flash in substantially its original coridition.

9. In a method of making metal articles, the steps including die-rollinga blank with flash thereon and forging said blank before removing theflash.

10. A metal shape forgedfrom a die rolled blank having flash, the flashformed by the forging lying in the same plane as the original flash.

11. A metal article forged from a blank having rolled flash integraltherewith, said article having forging flash in addition to said rolledflash.

12. The method of forming metal articles comprising passing a leaderbetween die rolls adapted to form a string of connected blanks, formingaccurately spaced portions along the string adapted for reforging,permitting excess metal to flow sidewise in a substantially unrestrictedmanner to form flash integral with the blanks, separating the blanks,reheating and forging at least certain portions of the blanks wherebyadditional flash is formed, and simultaneously trimming both the rollingflash and the forging flash.

13. The method of forming metal articles comprising passing a leaderbetween die rolls adapted to form a string of connected blanks, formingaccurately spaced portions along the string adapted for a subsequentoperation, permiting ne ates excess metal to flow sidewise n asubstantially unrestricted manner to form flash integral with theh1anks,'sepaiating the blanks, operating on the blanks to produce a flowof metal in at least certain portions of the blanks whereby ad ditiOllSlflash is formed, and simultaneously trimmine; all the flash.

it. The method of forming metal articles eomprising passing a leaderbetween die rolls adapt eel to form a string of connected blanks,forming accurately spaced portiom along the string adapted forrewerking', permit-Aug excess metal to flow sidewise in substan' iallyunrestricted maimer to form flash integra? with the blanks,

